FSSAI Proposes Curbs on ‘Analogue Paneer’ Amid Food Safety Crackdown

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restricting the manufacture and sale of non-milk products being marketed as “paneer”, marking a significant escalation in its efforts to curb food adulteration, misleading labelling and deceptive food claims. The move aims to ensure consumers are not led to believe that products made from non-dairy ingredients are genuine milk-derived paneer.

FSSAI has issued the draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026, proposing a new provision covering “paneer made of constituents not derived from milk.” Stakeholders have been given 60 days to submit objections and suggestions. Products already licensed or registered under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category would have to stop using “paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling and marketing. The Health Ministry said the proposal seeks to ensure food names and presentation accurately reflect their nature and composition.

An analogue in the dairy context is a product designed to resemble or perform functions similar to milk products while replacing some or all milk constituents with non-dairy ingredients, such as vegetable oils, fats or plant-based proteins. FSSAI has recognised such products within its regulatory framework, meaning the latest proposal is focused primarily on misrepresentation, rather than eliminating all non-dairy alternatives.

The move follows a regulatory process that began gaining momentum in 2025, when FSSAI consulted stakeholders on dairy analogues. The consultation considered requiring restaurants and food-service establishments to identify analogue ingredients using terms such as “Non-dairy” or “Analogue”, including when analogue paneer was used in dishes such as Kadhai Paneer. It also considered restricting loose sales and requiring analogue products to be sold in packs of at least 500 grams with proper labelling, besides stronger licensing requirements.

FSSAI's Western Region had already acted in April 2026, stating that cheese analogue sold as paneer constituted a violation and directing businesses to ensure accurate product names, procurement checks, testing and menu disclosures. The regulator also directed inspections of units manufacturing and using cheese analogues.

The latest proposal comes amid a broader enforcement drive. On September 23, FSSAI initiated penal action against Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket, Flipkart India and Zepto over alleged food-safety violations, including misleading claims and prohibited products.

The proposed amendment is not yet a final ban. If notified after the consultation process, it would create a clearer national distinction between genuine milk-derived paneer and non-dairy alternatives, extending regulatory scrutiny from food composition to labelling, marketing, restaurants and digital marketplaces.